Senior Product Designer

Raydar
Full-timeβ€’$210k-270k/year (USD)β€’New York, United States

πŸ“ Job Overview

Job Title: Senior Product Designer

Company: Raydar

Location: New York, New York, United States

Job Type: Full-time

Category: Product Design / UX/UI

Date Posted: September 08, 2026

Experience Level: 5-10 Years

Remote Status: Hybrid

πŸš€ Role Summary

  • Lead the end-to-end product design lifecycle for complex, data-intensive software applications, focusing on tables, dashboards, and intricate workflows.

  • Conduct in-depth user research with legal professionals and administrative staff to translate complex needs into intuitive and actionable product designs.

  • Develop innovative AI-powered user experiences that simplify challenging tasks while maintaining user control and agency.

  • Create systematic design systems and interactive prototypes using Figma to ensure consistency and facilitate user testing.

  • Leverage AI tools like Claude and Cursor to enhance design exploration, refinement, and the acceleration of product development cycles.

  • Collaborate closely with engineering teams to navigate technical tradeoffs and ensure the successful delivery of polished, production-ready designs.

  • Contribute to the strategic direction of new product lines and overall product strategy, with guidance from a senior design advisor.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: This role is positioned as a crucial individual contributor, requiring a self-starter with a strong point of view and the ability to drive design initiatives from conception to launch within a legal AI startup environment.

πŸ“ˆ Primary Responsibilities

  • Own and execute the complete product design process for sophisticated software, including advanced table structures, dynamic dashboards, and detailed data-driven workflows.

  • Conduct user research sessions with lawyers and law firm administrators to deeply understand their operational challenges and identify opportunities for design innovation.

  • Conceptualize and design novel AI-driven interactions that enhance user efficiency and effectiveness without compromising user autonomy or control.

  • Develop and maintain systematic design libraries and interactive prototypes within Figma, ensuring scalability and a cohesive user experience across the product suite.

  • Utilize AI-assisted design tools (e.g., Claude, Cursor) to streamline the design process, from initial ideation and wireframing to detailed mockups and interaction design.

  • Partner with engineering teams to define technical requirements, assess feasibility, and manage design-to-development handoffs, ensuring high-fidelity execution.

  • Actively participate in product strategy discussions, contributing design expertise to shape new product features and future roadmaps, while benefiting from senior design mentorship.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The emphasis on "complex software, including tables, dashboards, and data-heavy workflows" suggests a need for a designer adept at information architecture, data visualization, and creating clear interfaces for intricate data sets, common in enterprise SaaS.

πŸŽ“ Skills & Qualifications

Education: While no specific degree is mandated, a strong portfolio and demonstrable experience in product design are paramount, often indicating a background in Design, HCI, Computer Science, or a related field.

Experience: 3 to 7 years of dedicated product design experience, specifically on launched software products with a proven track record of success.

Required Skills:

  • A comprehensive portfolio showcasing significant contributions to complex, data-intensive tables, dashboards, or workflow designs.

  • Proven ability to design innovative and user-centric AI interactions that solve real-world problems.

  • Expert-level proficiency in Figma, including experience with systematic design principles, component libraries, and advanced interactive prototyping.

  • A strong, well-articulated point of view on user experience principles and product design decision-making.

  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with engineering teams, understanding and navigating technical constraints and tradeoffs.

  • Experience conducting user research and translating qualitative and quantitative insights into actionable design solutions. Preferred Skills:

  • Prior experience designing products specifically for the legal industry, administrative functions, or other professional service workflows.

  • Experience in shaping the design of a new product line from its inception or significantly contributing to product strategy development.

  • Previous experience working in a startup environment, ideally complemented by experience within a larger technology company.

  • Familiarity with AI tools such as Claude and Cursor for design acceleration and exploration.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The experience requirement (3-7 years) combined with the "Senior" title and equity range (0.25%-0.75%) suggests a role with significant responsibility, expecting a designer capable of independent work and strategic input, not just execution.

πŸ“Š Process & Systems Portfolio Requirements

Portfolio Essentials:

  • Showcase at least 2-3 in-depth case studies detailing the end-to-end product design process for complex software.

  • Clearly articulate the user research methodology, problem definition, and ideation phases for each project.

  • Demonstrate how you translated user needs and data insights into intuitive interface designs for tables, dashboards, or complex workflows.

  • Highlight your approach to designing novel AI interactions and the rationale behind your design decisions.

  • Include examples of systematic design work, Figma proficiency, and interactive prototypes, showcasing your ability to create scalable and maintainable design systems.

  • Quantify the impact of your design work with metrics on user engagement, task completion rates, efficiency gains, or other relevant KPIs. Process Documentation:

  • Case studies should clearly outline the iterative design process, including user testing, feedback incorporation, and design refinement.

  • Illustrate how you collaborated with engineering teams, detailing problem-solving for technical constraints and ensuring design fidelity.

  • Show evidence of strategic thinking, such as contributions to product strategy or the development of new product lines.

  • Present how you leveraged AI tools to enhance your design workflow and outcomes.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: A strong portfolio is critical for this role, as it will be the primary tool for evaluating a candidate's ability to handle complex data, design AI interactions, and work systematically within a fast-paced startup. The emphasis on "opinionated" and "well-reasoned" implies a need for strategic thinking beyond just visual execution.

πŸ’΅ Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: The provided base salary range is $210,000 to $270,000 USD per year.

Benefits:

  • Equity: 0.25% to 0.75% of company stock, providing potential for significant financial upside as the company grows.

  • Health Coverage: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance plans to support employee well-being.

  • Unlimited Paid Time Off (PTO): Offers flexibility and autonomy for employees to manage their personal time and work-life balance.

  • Paid Lunch and Dinner: Provided on Fridays, fostering team connection and offering a perk for in-office work.

Working Hours: The typical workday runs from 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM, totaling approximately 10.5 hours per day, which aligns with a 52.5-hour work week. This is longer than a standard 40-hour week, indicating an expectation of significant dedication and engagement.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The salary range is competitive for a Senior Product Designer in New York City, particularly for a venture-backed startup. The extended daily working hours (9:00 AM - 7:30 PM) are a significant factor, suggesting a demanding work environment that requires high commitment. The equity component is also substantial, reflecting the startup's growth potential and the criticality of the role.

🎯 Team & Company Context

🏒 Company Culture

Industry: Legal Technology (Legal AI), Software. The company operates at the intersection of cutting-edge AI and the traditional legal sector, aiming to disrupt established practices with technological solutions. This implies a culture that values innovation, data-driven insights, and a pragmatic approach to solving complex professional problems.

Company Size: Venture-backed startup. This suggests a dynamic, fast-paced environment where individuals can have a significant impact. Roles are often broad, requiring adaptability and a willingness to wear multiple hats. Decision-making can be quicker, and there's a strong emphasis on growth and achieving key milestones to attract further investment.

Founded: The founding date is not explicitly provided, but the mention of being "venture-backed" and hiring its "first full-time designer" indicates it is likely in an early to growth stage. This phase is characterized by rapid development, team expansion, and a focus on product-market fit.

Team Structure:

  • Operations: As a startup, the operations team is likely lean and integrated across functions. The design team will be small, with the Senior Product Designer being the first dedicated hire.

  • Product & Engineering: Close collaboration is expected between Product, Design, and Engineering, forming a core product development unit.

  • Reporting: The Senior Product Designer will likely report to a Head of Product or a founder, with mentorship provided by a senior design advisor.

  • Cross-functional Collaboration: Expect frequent interaction with founders, product managers, engineers, and potentially sales/marketing as the company scales. Methodology:

  • Data-Driven Design: Emphasis on user research and data analysis to inform design decisions.

  • Agile Development: Likely employs agile methodologies for rapid iteration and deployment.

  • AI Integration: Core to the company's mission, implying a continuous exploration and integration of AI capabilities into workflows and user experiences.

  • Outcome-Oriented: Focus on delivering measurable improvements for law firms through software.

Company Website: https://jobs.workable.com/company/5ErCjQrw6G4QCyNL7kiKAz/jobs-at-raydar (This is a link to the company's job portal, not their primary website.)

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The "first full-time designer" aspect is key. This role will be instrumental in establishing design standards, processes, and culture within the company, offering a unique opportunity for influence but also demanding a high degree of autonomy and initiative.

πŸ“ˆ Career & Growth Analysis

Operations Career Level: This is a Senior individual contributor role. It signifies a designer who is expected to operate with a high degree of autonomy, lead design efforts on significant product areas, and contribute to strategic product decisions. The experience requirement (3-7 years) and equity range further solidify this senior standing.

Reporting Structure: The Senior Product Designer will likely report directly to a Head of Product or a Founder. They will also benefit from mentorship by a senior design advisor, suggesting a structured approach to professional development even in a startup environment.

Operations Impact: The Senior Product Designer will have a direct and substantial impact on the company's core product, which aims to automate key functions for law firms. Success in this role will directly influence user adoption, customer satisfaction, product-market fit, and ultimately, the company's revenue generation and valuation. The ability to make complex workflows clear and useful is central to the company's value proposition.

Growth Opportunities:

  • Design Leadership: As the first dedicated designer, there's a strong potential to grow into a Design Lead or Head of Design role as the company scales and hires more designers.

  • Product Strategy Influence: Continued contribution to product strategy can lead to opportunities in product management or broader product leadership.

  • Specialization: Deepening expertise in Legal AI, complex data visualization, and advanced AI interaction design can position the designer as a subject matter expert in a niche but growing field.

  • Mentorship: The opportunity to mentor future designers joining the team and to receive mentorship from experienced advisors provides a rich learning environment.

  • Startup Growth: Participating in the hyper-growth phase of a venture-backed startup offers invaluable experience in scaling products, teams, and processes.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The role offers significant potential for career advancement due to its foundational nature within the company. The combination of individual contribution, strategic input, and mentorship creates a fertile ground for professional development, particularly for someone aiming for leadership in the product design space.

🌐 Work Environment

Office Type: The company requires a hybrid work model, with a strong emphasis on in-office presence. The description specifies "Five days per week in Tribeca, New York City, with occasional remote flexibility." This indicates a preference for a collaborative, in-person work environment, with flexibility likely reserved for specific circumstances rather than a standard arrangement.

Office Location(s): Tribeca, New York City. This is a prime downtown Manhattan location, known for its vibrant atmosphere and accessibility. It suggests a professional office setting conducive to collaboration and client meetings.

Workspace Context:

  • Collaborative Environment: The mandated five-day in-office policy points towards a culture that values face-to-face interaction, spontaneous collaboration, and team cohesion.

  • Tools & Technology: Expect a modern tech stack, including Figma for design, AI tools like Claude and Cursor, and standard productivity software. The company is likely to provide all necessary hardware and software.

  • Team Interaction: Daily interaction with engineers, product managers, and potentially founders will be the norm, fostering a close-knit product development team.

Work Schedule: The stated work hours are 9:00 AM to 7:30 PM daily. This is a demanding schedule, totaling approximately 52.5 hours per week. While it indicates a high level of commitment expected from employees, the "occasional remote flexibility" might offer some relief on specific days or for personal needs, though the default is full-time in-office.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The strict five-day in-office policy, combined with extended daily hours, signals a demanding work culture focused on intense collaboration and rapid execution. Candidates should be prepared for a high-commitment environment.

πŸ“„ Application & Portfolio Review Process

Interview Process:

  • Initial Screening: A review of your resume and portfolio to assess fit with the role's requirements, particularly experience with complex data, AI, and Figma.

  • Portfolio Presentation & Discussion: Expect to walk through selected case studies from your portfolio, explaining your process, design decisions, and impact. This is where your "opinionated, well-reasoned approach" will be evaluated.

  • Design Challenge/Exercise: A practical exercise, potentially involving a design problem related to complex data or AI interaction, to assess your problem-solving skills, Figma proficiency, and design thinking in real-time or as a take-home assignment.

  • Team & Stakeholder Interviews: Meetings with potential collaborators (engineers, product managers, founders) to assess your collaboration style, communication skills, and cultural fit. Discussions may also involve senior design advisors.

  • Final Interview: A concluding discussion, possibly with a founder or senior leadership, to discuss overall fit, career aspirations, and finalize terms.

Portfolio Review Tips:

  • Focus on Impact: Clearly articulate the problem you solved, your role, the process you followed, and the measurable outcomes of your design work. Use data and metrics wherever possible.

  • Highlight Complexity: Showcase your ability to design for intricate data sets, tables, and dashboards. Explain how you made complex information understandable and actionable.

  • Demonstrate AI Fluency: Include examples of novel AI interactions you've designed. Explain the user problems they address and how they enhance user control and efficiency.

  • Showcase Figma Mastery: Present systematic design work, component libraries, and interactive prototypes. Explain your approach to building scalable and maintainable design systems.

  • Tell a Story: Structure your case studies as narratives that clearly communicate the challenge, your thought process, your solutions, and the results. Be prepared to discuss your "opinionated" approach and defend your design choices.

  • Tailor to Raydar: Emphasize projects that align with legal tech, complex professional workflows, or AI-driven product experiences.

Challenge Preparation:

  • Understand the Domain: Research legal tech and AI trends. Consider common pain points for lawyers and law firm administrators related to timekeeping, billing, and data management.

  • Practice Data Visualization: Be prepared to tackle design problems involving presenting and interacting with large datasets.

  • AI Interaction Design: Think about how AI can augment professional workflows without replacing human judgment. Consider ethical implications and user trust.

  • Systematic Thinking: Practice articulating how you would approach building or extending a design system for a complex application.

  • Communication: Be ready to clearly articulate your design process, rationale, and solutions under pressure.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The interview process emphasizes a candidate's ability to handle complexity, design innovative AI experiences, and integrate seamlessly into a collaborative startup environment. The portfolio review is paramount, serving as the primary assessment tool for core design skills and strategic thinking.

πŸ›  Tools & Technology Stack

Primary Tools:

  • Figma: The core design tool for wireframing, prototyping, and creating systematic design libraries. Expert proficiency is explicitly required.

  • AI Design Assistants: Claude and Cursor are mentioned as tools for exploration, refinement, and acceleration. Familiarity or a willingness to quickly learn and integrate these into workflows is key.

  • Prototyping Tools: Figma's prototyping capabilities are central, but familiarity with other advanced prototyping tools might be beneficial for complex interactions.

Analytics & Reporting:

  • While not explicitly listed, expect to work with product analytics tools (e.g., Amplitude, Mixpanel, Google Analytics) to understand user behavior and inform design decisions.

  • Reporting dashboards (potentially built in tools like Tableau, Looker, or within the product itself) will be crucial for tracking product performance and design impact. CRM & Automation:

  • Not directly relevant to the Senior Product Designer role, but understanding how product design integrates with CRM (e.g., Salesforce) and marketing automation platforms can provide context for user journeys and business impact.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: Proficiency in Figma is non-negotiable. The inclusion of AI tools like Claude and Cursor suggests a forward-thinking approach to design tooling and an expectation that candidates embrace AI to enhance productivity and creativity.

πŸ‘₯ Team Culture & Values

Operations Values:

  • Innovation & Disruption: A drive to leverage cutting-edge AI to fundamentally change how legal professionals work. Expect a culture that encourages bold ideas and challenging the status quo.

  • User-Centricity: A deep commitment to understanding and solving the real-world problems of lawyers and law firms, translating complex needs into user-friendly solutions.

  • Data-Driven Decision Making: Emphasis on using research, analytics, and user feedback to guide product development and design choices.

  • Efficiency & Automation: Core to the company's mission, this value translates to seeking out and implementing solutions that streamline workflows and reduce manual effort.

  • Collaboration & Ownership: A culture where individuals take ownership of their work, collaborate closely with others, and contribute to collective success.

Collaboration Style:

  • Close-Knit Product Team: Expect tight integration between Design, Product, and Engineering, with frequent communication and joint problem-solving.

  • Mentorship-Driven: The presence of a senior design advisor suggests a culture that values knowledge sharing and professional development.

  • Opinionated yet Open: While candidates are expected to have strong viewpoints, the ability to engage in constructive debate, accept feedback, and iterate based on team input will be vital.

  • Fast-Paced Iteration: The startup environment likely fosters a rapid cycle of design, development, testing, and deployment, requiring agility and responsiveness.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The company's focus on AI and legal tech suggests a culture that values technical sophistication, problem-solving acumen, and a pragmatic approach to innovation. The "first designer" role means the candidate will play a key part in shaping these cultural aspects.

⚑ Challenges & Growth Opportunities

Challenges:

  • Establishing Design Standards: As the first full-time designer, you'll be responsible for setting up design processes, style guides, and best practices from scratch within a startup environment.

  • Designing for Complexity: Translating intricate legal workflows and large datasets into intuitive user experiences requires significant analytical and design skill.

  • Novel AI Interactions: Designing user experiences for AI that are both effective and trustworthy, ensuring users feel in control and understand the AI's capabilities and limitations.

  • Balancing Speed and Quality: The startup environment demands rapid iteration, which can sometimes conflict with the time needed for thorough research and meticulous design.

  • Cross-Functional Alignment: Ensuring consistent understanding and execution of design vision across engineering, product, and other stakeholders.

Learning & Development Opportunities:

  • Leadership Potential: Opportunity to build and lead a design team as the company grows.

  • Domain Expertise: Deepen knowledge in the rapidly evolving fields of Legal AI and advanced data visualization.

  • Product Strategy: Gain hands-on experience shaping product direction and strategy in a high-growth startup.

  • AI Tool Mastery: Become proficient in leveraging cutting-edge AI tools for design and product development.

  • Mentorship: Benefit from guidance from a senior design advisor and contribute to mentoring future team members.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: The challenges inherent in a "first hire" role at a startup are significant but come with equally substantial growth opportunities. This role is ideal for a designer who thrives on building, defining, and leading.

πŸ’‘ Interview Preparation

Strategy Questions:

  • "How would you approach designing a new AI feature for law firm timekeeping that aims to increase accuracy and reduce manual entry?" (Focus on user research, AI interaction principles, data handling, and user control.)

  • "Describe your process for creating a systematic design system. How would you ensure adoption and maintenance within a growing startup?" (Highlight Figma proficiency, component-based design, documentation, and collaboration with engineering.)

  • "Given the complexity of legal workflows, how do you ensure your designs are both powerful and easy to use? Provide an example from your portfolio." (Emphasize user research, iterative design, and simplifying complex information.) Company & Culture Questions:

  • "What interests you most about Raydar and our mission to use AI in the legal industry?" (Research the company's specific product, market, and values.)

  • "How do you handle disagreements with engineers or product managers regarding design decisions?" (Demonstrate strong communication, collaboration, and a data-driven approach.)

  • "How do you measure the success of your designs, especially in a product like ours that deals with complex data and professional workflows?" (Discuss relevant metrics like task completion, efficiency gains, user satisfaction, and adoption rates.) Portfolio Presentation Strategy:

  • Structure Your Narrative: For each case study, clearly define the problem, your role, the process, your specific contributions, the solutions you designed, and the measurable outcomes.

  • Emphasize Complexity & AI: Specifically highlight your experience with data-heavy interfaces and novel AI interactions. Articulate the challenges and how you overcame them.

  • Showcase Figma Skills: Be prepared to discuss your use of components, auto-layout, and interactive prototyping to create efficient and scalable designs.

  • Defend Your Decisions: Be ready to explain the "why" behind your design choices, referencing user research, best practices, and strategic thinking.

  • Interactive Walkthrough: Use your presentation to guide the interviewer through the user experience of your designs, highlighting key interactions and flows.

πŸ“ Enhancement Note: Preparation should focus on demonstrating expertise in complex data design, AI interaction, systematic design within Figma, and strategic product thinking, all within the context of a fast-paced startup environment.

πŸ“Œ Application Steps

To apply for this Senior Product Designer position:

  • Submit your application through the provided link on Workable.

  • Portfolio Customization: Tailor your portfolio to highlight 2-3 of your most relevant projects that showcase experience with complex data, dashboards, tables, AI interactions, and systematic design using Figma. Quantify impact with metrics.

  • Resume Optimization: Update your resume to clearly state your years of experience (3-7 years), highlight your expertise in product design for software, and list key skills like Figma, user research, AI interaction design, and complex workflow design. Use keywords from the job description.

  • Interview Preparation: Practice walking through your portfolio case studies, focusing on your process, rationale, and the impact of your work. Prepare for design challenges related to data visualization and AI interactions. Research Raydar's product and mission.

  • Company Research: Understand Raydar's specific AI applications in the legal tech space, their target users (lawyers, law firms), and their position in the market. Consider how your design philosophy aligns with their innovative approach.

⚠️ Important Notice: This enhanced job description includes AI-generated insights and operations industry-standard assumptions. All details should be verified directly with the hiring organization before making application decisions.

Application Requirements

Requires 3 to 7 years of product design experience with a strong portfolio in complex workflows and data-heavy interfaces. Expert proficiency in Figma and a demonstrated ability to design thoughtful AI user experiences are essential.